In order to breathe, air may be drawn into the lungs through the nasal passageway, which includes the nostrils and the nasal valve (sometimes referred to as an internal valve). Resistance within the nasal passage may make it difficult or uncomfortable to breathe or necessary to breathe through the mouth. This discomfort and/or resistance to breathing may lead to snoring, among other things. It is well understood that breathing through the nasal passages is much healthier than through the mouth due a series of physiological mechanisms in the nasal passages that help to condition the air prior to it reaching the lungs. These include, among other things, filtering, warming, moisturizing, and dehumidifying the inhaled air prior to being received by the lungs.
The nasal passageway has at least two potential areas of resistance, the internal nasal valve and the nostrils. The nasal valve is a small, slit-shape space, which is approximately 0.10 inch wide and located near the back of the nasal passageway, between the cartilage within the side wall of the nose and a partition inside the nose called the middle turbinate and septum. The nasal valve is surrounded by blood vessels, which can easily swell and block the nasal passageway, making breathing more difficult. In fact, the blood vessels surrounding the nasal valve are so easily swelled that exercise, the common cold, lying down, or pregnancy can cause enough swelling to increase nasal passage resistance and/or block the nasal passage.
The nostrils may be another source of nasal resistance, which may also be referred to as external valves. The blood vessels in the nostrils also may swell during times of exercise or when a person is lying down. The swelling causes a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the nasal passage and may make it more difficult for a person to breathe. Further, the nostrils may collapse during breathing, especially during times of heavy breathing, which is common during exercise. The collapse of the nostrils may also be caused by a nasal anatomical abnormality, such as a deviated septum which causes an uneven flow of air through the nostrils. When the outer wall of the nostril collapses the area through which the air is drawn is reduced, which may make it more difficult and/or uncomfortable to breathe.
Most conventional nasal dilators are externally mounted to the nose to dilate the tissue of the nose, but are configured such that sub-optimum nasal dilation is achieved since they are able to dilate the internal valves and have no effect on dilating the nostrils or reducing nostril collapse. Other nasal dilators, or more accurately, internal nostril supports may be mounted inside of the nostrils to dilate the nostrils and/or prevent nostril collapse. While these internal devices may be effective at reducing nostril collapse or dilating the nostrils, they are incapable of dilating both of the internal nasal valves and the nostrils.